In 1986, President Ronald Reagan famously removed solar panels from the White House roof, capping a misguided energy policy that severely slashed investment in renewable energy. Thirty-one years later, President Trump has committed a more consequential mistake by rejecting the Paris climate accord. But the story of how solar energy survived and thrived after Reagan holds an encouraging lesson for us.

After Reagan, states such as California stepped up and invested heavily in solar research, development and market incentives. Despite being slowed by a reduction in federal support, the progress over time was dramatic. Since Reagan’s election, the price of solar panels has fallen by 99 percent. Last year, solar energy was the single largest source of new electricity generation added to our nation’s electric grid, contributing about 40 percent of the total. Solar energy provides jobs for 260,000 people in America, compared to just 65,000 by the coal mining industry. Wind energy, which followed a similar trajectory, now employs more than 100,000 U.S. workers.

Bold leadership to combat climate change in the United States will not come from Washington, D.C., but from a combination of state and local efforts. But for these efforts to succeed, one falsehood must be debunked immediately.

While a convenient myth for the fossil-fuel industry, this is nonsense. To begin with, in the interest of national security, the military itself has become a national leader in adopting renewable energy. The U.S. Navy, for example, is quickly moving toward its goal of using 50 percent renewable energy by 2020.

In California, which has installed more clean energy than any other state, there have been no threats to the reliability of the electric grid caused by renewables. Instead, the three biggest threats to our grid over the last 20 years came from market manipulation (Enron et al, during the 2001 energy crisis), a nuclear plant failure (San Onofre, 2012) and the largest natural gas leak in history (Aliso Canyon gas storage facility, 2015). Rather than create these emergencies, renewable energy was part of the solution and continued to operate reliably and prevented these events from becoming worse.

Almost two-thirds of the new electric generation capacity added to the grid in the United States over the last two years has come from wind and solar. From a reliability perspective, this is a positive development. In August 2011, when a heat wave in Texas shut down 20 natural gas plants, it was wind power that kept the electric grid operator from having to black out areas of the state. In Iowa, wind power now provides 37 percent of the state’s electricity with no reduction in reliability.

What happens when the wind doesn’t blow, or the sun doesn’t shine? To answer that question, one needs to examine the many countries that have more renewable energy than we do. Wind and solar contribute a share 2.5 times larger in Germany’s electricity mix (18.2 percent in 2016) than they do in the United States (6.9 percent). Germany produced 82 percent of its electricity from renewables for a period of several days in May. Denmark gets 100 percent of its electricity from renewables on many days of the year. Yet both nations have electric grids that are 10 times more reliable than America’s. Germany and Denmark average 23 and 24 minutes of customer outages per year respectively, while the United States averages 240 minutes per year.

These electric grids share several features that create stability. They have a diverse mix of renewables — onshore wind, offshore wind, photovoltaic and solar thermal power, geothermal power, hydropower and energy storage, mainly in the form of water pumped behind a dam. The European grid is a regional grid, and the sun is almost always shining, or the wind blowing, or water flowing, somewhere in Europe. Countries like Germany and Denmark also pay a lot of attention to weather forecasting, so that they can accurately predict and plan for how much solar and wind power they will generate. And they have electrified more of their economy than we have, including much of the rail network.

These are the defining qualities of the clean electric grid of the future. Clean energy is good both for the grid and the bottom line. That’s why the private sector here at home is now helping make it happen. Google, Walmart, General Motors, Facebook and Apple have all committed to using 100 percent renewable energy.

If the Trump administration does indeed seek to roll back state and local renewable energy policies on grounds that it jeopardizes the electric grid, then it would constitute yet another historic mistake. Rather than representing a threat to our electric grid, renewable energy is its future.

David Hochschild is a commissioner with the California Energy Commission, the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency. David Olsen is a member of the California Independent System Operator Board of Governors, which runs the state’s electric grid.

Can wind power be a complement to the variability of solar power for a state like California that seeks a cleaner energy future and grid reliability?

Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, thinks so.

In a May 31 talk at the California Energy Commission, Kiernan gave his assessment about how wind power can benefit the state’s renewable energy goals, one of which is to generate half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

“You cannot do much with solar without exacerbating the duck curve,” said Kiernan.

In referencing the duck curve, Kiernan was referring to a well-known graphic in the energy industry whose curved shape resembles a duck and whose path reveals the effect that solar and wind energy have on daily demand on utility electricity and the grid.

As more solar energy comes online it is expected to create an oversupply of solar during daytime hours, when electricity demand is low.

Demand begins to rise after people get home for work and turn on air conditioners, lights and appliances. This coincides with a decline in solar. The increased demand and plunge in solar creates a problem for the grid as it relies on a consistent supply of energy to avoid blackouts and energy cascades.

Bringing wind into the mix can mollify the daily and seasonal variability of solar energy, Kiernan said.

In Colorado, the sun shines the least during winter and spring but it is also the windiest time of year.

Wind also can be a variable energy source since it does not blow consistently. But it is rare for a wind farm to totally shut down because there is usually wind blowing in at least one portion of the site.

Kiernan said the evolution of wind technology will make wind become more attractive as an energy source. Wind turbines are getting larger and taller, and are producing more power per turbine.

In 2000, the average rotor width of a turbine was 49 meters. In 2015, that size had increased to 102 meters. The turbine height also increased from 58 meters in 2000 to 82 meters in 2015. Taller turbines allow wind energy to be accessed in areas previously not considered as conducive to wind energy, especially in Midwest states, Kiernan said.

California ranks fourth in the United States in installed wind power capacity after Oklahoma recently surpassed it for the third spot. Texas leads the nation with 21,044 megawatts (MW) installed with Iowa second, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

California has 5,656 MW of wind capacity installed. In 2015, wind provided about 6 percent of in-state electricity generation, double the in-state amount produced in 2000.

Energize California will serve as the coordinating organization for the region’s clean energy sector and will bring together industry leaders to support entrepreneurs and new technologies in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties.

“You never know where the next great clean energy idea will come from,” said Energy Commission Chair Robert Weisenmiller, “but having a centralized program like this where innovators can easily network with academia, industry, business and professional development resources, greatly enhances the chances of that happening there.”

“Energy entrepreneurs have struggled to locate and connect with the resources and networks needed to commercialize their products,” said Amanda Sabicer, LACI vice president of Energize California.

Energize California and its partnering organizations will also identify energy needs and help funnel early-stage energy technology solutions into the local region and especially into disadvantaged communities.

LACI received a $5 million grant last year through the Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge program, which supports innovations and strategies that advance clean energy technologies.

Thirteen mobile, solar-powered charging units for electric vehicles are being deployed in disadvantaged, rural communities throughout Fresno County, making plug-in electric vehicles a more viable option for those who live and work in this underserved area of the state.

Increased access to chargers supports efforts to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the San Joaquin Valley, which has some of the worst air quality in the nation. The project also helps California reach its aim of getting 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) on the road by 2025.

Deployment of the charging stations is the result of a partnership between CALSTART, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, Fresno County Rural Transit Agency and Caltrans.

The California Energy Commission supported the project through a $1.2 million grant to CALSTART that helped establish the San Joaquin Transportation Center, which helped develop plans to deploy the chargers.

“The Energy Commission is proud to be a partner in this and ongoing efforts to help the San Joaquin Valley attain its air quality goals by accelerating the use of zero-emission vehicles and clean fuels,” said Energy Commissioner Janea A. Scott, who attended a May 24 unveiling event for the project in Fowler.

The innovative chargers, built by Envision Solar, do not require access to the electrical grid. They come ready to charge up to three vehicles at a time, and can easily be moved to another location to increase public access. The units also include battery storage, meaning they can be used night or day.

The Energy Commission grant to establish the San Joaquin Transportation Center was awarded through the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), which has invested more than $748 million to date to support advancements in alternative, renewable fuels and the vehicles powered by them.

The center works to speed deployment of lower emission vehicles and help improve air quality in the San Joaquin Valley by making a variety of resources available to local residents, businesses, governments and others.

The Energy Commission has also made numerous other investments to resolve barriers to adoption of ZEVs and clean fuels in the San Joaquin Valley.

]]>https://btceuro.net/2017/05/25/mobile-solar-electric-vehicle-chargers-deployed-in-rural-fresno-county/feed/0Energy Commissioner Likens End of Apartheid to Embrace of Renewables in TEDx Talkhttps://btceuro.net/2017/05/23/energy-commissioner-likens-end-of-apartheid-to-embrace-of-renewables-in-tedx-talk/
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As a 22-year-old in the 1990s, California Energy Commissioner David Hochschild decided to join his father on a trip to South Africa. The country was in the throes of apartheid at the time.

The trip proved foundational to Hochschild, who likens South Africa’s evolution away from apartheid to the United States’ transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

On April 2 Commissioner Hochschild appeared as part of TEDx Palo Alto Identity where he talked about his experience in South Africa and with renewable energy in California:

San Diego has reached an important benchmark in its efforts to convert the city’s diesel-powered solid waste collection trucks to cleaner-burning compressed natural gas (CNG), a move that will significantly reduce the trucks’ emissions of greenhouse gases and other harmful air pollutants.

Last month, the city opened a new CNG fueling station to support the switch to natural gas with the help of a $250,000 grant awarded by the California Energy Commission. Though still under construction, the station is already fueling the city’s 20 existing CNG collection trucks.

“The Energy Commission is pleased to support San Diego’s efforts to transition from diesel and leave a healthier environment for future generations,” said Energy Commissioner Janea A. Scott. “The Energy Commission has invested in many of San Diego’s green initiatives, including the expansion of electric vehicle charging stations to support local adoption of electric vehicles. This project is another example of San Diego’s leadership in sustainability and demonstrates that going green can have numerous benefits.”

The Energy Commission awarded the grant through its Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), which invests up to $100 million annually in projects that support alternative and renewable fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. The program helps the state achieve its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, improves air quality, reduces reliance on fossil fuels, and promotes economic development.

The new facility is scheduled to be completed by January 2021. It will enable San Diego to meet its goal of converting the city’s entire fleet of 131 diesel trucks by 2022. Doing so will reduce the city’s annual consumption of diesel fuel by more than one million gallons. This will not only help San Diego reach California’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, but the city’s goal to cut its emissions in half by 2035.

The change to natural gas will also save money since CNG is cheaper than diesel.

“We all know that vehicle emissions are the leading cause of air pollution so the city is leading by example and showing other cities how to make common-sense changes to improve the environment around us,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer. “By transitioning to compressed natural gas, we’re making our fleet greener and saving money at the same time. This is a win-win for San Diegans as we work together to reach our ambitious climate goals.”

]]>https://btceuro.net/2017/05/08/new-fueling-station-supports-san-diegos-conversion-to-natural-gas/feed/0Rancheria Launches Microgrid That Can Power Reservationhttps://btceuro.net/2017/05/03/rancheria-launches-microgrid-that-can-power-reservation/
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For some communities, like the Blue Lake Rancheria in Humboldt County, a climate change plan means building a microgrid. Last week, the rancheria celebrated the completion of a $6.3 million microgrid project two years in the making.

The Energy Commission provided $5 million in grant funding from its Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program for the project. The EPIC program invests more than $120 million annually for innovations and concepts that help California meet its energy and climate goals.

Microgrids are small-scale electrical systems that provide and manage power independent of the larger electric grid. They are becoming more common in places like data centers and military bases.

The Blue Lake microgrid boasts a 500-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system – the largest solar array in Humboldt County. The system also includes a 1 megawatt-hour Tesla battery storage system and back up diesel generators.

Rancheria officials said the project helped create new jobs while reducing energy costs by about $200,000 a year.

The project was designed to power the entire 100-acre reservation including its government offices, a casino, and an onsite hotel and event center. The microgrid will allow the reservation to operate independently of the power grid in coordination with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Because of the microgrid’s reliability, especially in times of natural disaster or emergency situations, the reservation will act as a Red Cross safety shelter.

Moving the state away from natural gas use in residential and commercial buildings may be a tool in the goal of decarbonizing buildings in California.

That was the message delivered by Rachel Golden, senior campaign representative with the Sierra Club, during a talk on decarbonizing buildings at the California Energy Commission. Scientists Merrian Borgeson and Pierre Delforge from the Natural Resources Defense Council joined Golden in the talk.

Most of the natural gas used in homes in California is used for space and water heating.

California Residential Natural Gas Consumption Breakdown – 2012

The natural gas industry is an emitter of carbon dioxide and a significant source of methane emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential more than 25 times that of carbon dioxide.

The combined residential and commercial building sectors in California consume approximately one‐third of total natural gas usage.

California also uses a higher percentage of natural gas to heat homes compared to the rest of the United States.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (2015)

Golden sees the carbon footprint of natural gas use in buildings as “significant.”

“It’s basically equivalent to that of all in-state power plants,” Golden said. “And those emissions don’t even include the methane leakage that happens on a distribution level.”

She said natural gas use in buildings is incompatible with the state’s long-term climate goals.

“If we don’t make progress in decarbonizing buildings emissions from the building sector, mostly from heating fuels, it could take up most of the allowable carbon budget by 2050,” said Golden.

A possible tool for wresting residential buildings off natural gas is the heat pump for home heating. That technology works like a refrigerator in reverse. Instead of burning fuel to create heat, the pumps use electricity to take heat from ambient air for use inside a home.

“They’re two to four times as efficient as electric heaters,” said Borgeson. “The efficiencies are quite high – you’re looking at around 250 percent efficiency for many regions in California.”

The California Energy Commission will hold a public workshop in San Diego to create a roadmap to accelerate the adoption of microgrid technology.

The April 25 workshop, which begins at 9:30 a.m. at the U.S. Grant Hotel, is the third in a series of workshops to develop a roadmap with stakeholders.

Microgrids are small-scale electrical systems that provide and manage power independent of the larger electric grid. They are used to support facilities with critical energy needs like hospitals, industrial complexes or university campuses. Many microgrids incorporate clean energy resources such as solar photovoltaics and can store energy using batteries and other technologies.

Despite the ability of microgrids to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support grid reliability and facilitate higher levels of distributed generation, their use is not yet widespread due to cost, regulatory issues and other factors.

At the workshop, representatives from the Energy Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Independent System Operator will discuss how stakeholders including utilities, microgrid owners and manufacturers can address barriers hindering the wider deployment of the technology.

Directions for participating in the workshop, including instruction for participating remotely through WebEx, are in the public notice.

Two workshops on the subject were held in 2016 and two more will be scheduled later.

Geothermal energy is California’s most constant form of renewable energy. Unlike wind and solar, which are not always constant, geothermal can be sourced year-round, all day long.

This makes the geothermal energy a key asset in California’s goal to obtain 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

The California Energy Commission will host a workshop on April 19 that provides an overview of the agency’s support of geothermal energy. The workshop, which begins at 1 p.m. in the Arthur Rosenfeld Hearing Room, includes a discussion with stakeholders about the future of geothermal in California.

Geothermal energy is an almost limitless energy source. The energy exists in the form of hot water or steam trapped in cracks and pores under layers of impermeable rock underground.

It is here that geothermal reservoirs form – and where wells are subsequently driven. The steam or water harvested from the reservoirs powers turbines for electricity.

There are 44 operating geothermal power plants in California, with an installed capacity of 2,716 megawatts. In 2015, geothermal energy produced 11,994 gigawatt hours of electricity in California and accounted for 4.4 percent of the state’s total system power.

Earlier this month, the Energy Commission released a notice of proposed awards for five geothermal projects totaling $4.7 million. The money would fund five geothermal projects, including $1.4 million to demonstrate a novel water-free method of extracting energy from hot dry rock.

The projects require approval from the Energy Commission at a business meeting. The grants will fund projects such as local and regional planning and exploration and research.

The funding would come from the Energy Commission’s Geothermal Grant and Loan Program. The program promotes development and maintenance of California’s vast geothermal energy resources.